Power Of Music
by D. Kennedy
Summary: This story was adopted from The Heartless Harlot.  What happens when Rachel is forced to work with Jesse as her boss for her summer job?
1. Power Of Music Pre Adoption Prologue

**Author's Note: So this is the original story. I figured I would post it before MY work so that you could know what was originally written before I adopted it. The story, like I said is posted on /u/2510783/Gogo_Starship . as well. It's under the same title. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own glee OR THIS CHAPTER, it belongs to GoGo Starship (formally The Heartless Harlot)**

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**Power Of Music  
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**Prologue (Pre Adoption)  
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Rachel Berry woke up with her trademark bright smile on her face. However, it was brighter than usual; it was the first day of her summer job at the local music store, Soundwaves, 'Lima, Ohio's number one music superstore'. The best part was that her fellow Glee clubbers, Quinn Fabray, Tina Cohen-Chang, Mercedes Jones, Kurt Hummel, and (best of all) her boyfriend, Finn Hudson, had also gotten jobs at Soundwaves, so she wouldn't be completely bored at work.

Rachel's smile widened at the thought of seeing Finn working, wearing the bright yellow apron that workers had to wear. Just the thought made her giggle like a little school girl. Sure, they wouldn't always work together, but they would sometimes, and at least her job wouldn't completely get in the way of the two spending time together.

As if on cue, Rachel received a text, her phone making its way across the table as it buzzed loudly. She quickly placed her hand over it to keep it from skidding off the edge, smiling as she saw it was from Finn.

_hey rach. cant wait to c u work 2day_

"How sweet," she whispered to herself, smiling slightly. "Though his grammar needs improvement." She placed her phone in her bag before walking into her bathroom, stripping and stepping into the shower, letting the hot water soothe the muscles of her back. She took her time, glad the water unknotted the muscles in her back. About an hour later she climbed out, wrapping a towel tightly around herself as the water clinging to her skin cooled, chilling her slightly. She quickly dressed in a yellow t-shirt and a bright blue skirt with bronze buttons running down the front (The skirt from The Rhodes Not Taken, when she went bowling). After she was dressed she quickly walked back into the bathroom, grabbing her hair dryer and letting it blast her hair against the side of her head, overheating her cheeks and neck slightly. Once she was done blow-drying her hair, she immediately started curling it; she could not go to her first day of work with a jew-fro. Jacob Ben Israel had that job covered.

Once her hair and make-up was done to perfection, Rachel pulled her phone out of her bag and texted Finn, informing him that she was ready to be picked up. Six minutes later, Kurt Hummel's SUV pulled up at the curb in front of her house. Kurt was obviously behind the wheel, because the car emitted a loud honk. Rachel slung her bag over her shoulder and sprinted out the door, climbing into the car, and giving Finn a kiss on the cheek before sitting in the seat right behind him.

"Hello, Finn, Kurt," she said happily, buckling up as Kurt pulled away from the curb. Kurt, as usual, ignored her completely, but Finn grinned adorably at her, craning his neck to see over the passenger seat, which he was currently sitting in.

"Morning, Rach!" he said, though it was slightly muffled behind the seat. Rachel giggled, blushing a little as she noticed Finn checking her out. Her smile fell a little, so she quickly looked out the window, avoiding Finn's eye. She noticed him doing things like that all the time; giving her a once-over, getting a lusty look in his eyes. He would tell her she was hot, never beautiful, never gorgeous, and it kind of annoyed her at times.

'Jesse would have told me I look stunning,' Rachel thought, though she immediately cursed herself for even thinking about him.

Stupid Jesse St. James.

We has a rude, lying heart-breaker. He used girls as hump-n-dumps, telling them he loved them, then leaving them the next day. He was smarmy, over-confident, and he just _had_ to make Rachel fall in love with him.

'Damn him to hell,' she thought, scowling as she watched the stores outside her window pass by in a blur. Her stomach churned uneasily as she played with her fingers, turning to watch her cuticles as though they were engrossing her completely.

"Hey, girl!" Kurt said to Quinn as she climbed into the car. Rachel looked up in shock, not having noticed the car had come to a stop. Rachel immediately scooted to the other seat in their row, not wanting the awkwardness of being climbed over to occur. Quinn smiled slightly at her and sat down, buckling up quickly. She looked up at Kurt and smiled.

"Hey, Kurt. You're sure in a good mood this morning," she noted, smirking slightly at him. Kurt chuckled, pulling out of the drive.

"You know it. I have a job, my friends work there too, and I look fabulous this morning. How could I not be in a good mood?" he laughed as he entered the freeway. Rachel looked at the cars passing by, a slight frown on her face; why did Kurt love everybody but her? It seemed that she was the most disliked person in school.

'People liked me more when Jesse was in New Directions,' she remembered, smiling at the memory of how everyone had backed of slightly after noticing Jesse's fierce protectiveness toward Rachel. She immediately shook thoughts of him from her head, trying to instead focus on the way Finn had a slight lisp as he talked animatedly to Kurt about how awesome the car was. She smiled and shook her head, chuckling at her boyfriend.

"So, Rachel, are you excited to work at the store?"

Rachel turned to face Quinn, a little more than surprised that the ex-Cheerio was even talking to her. She smiled warily and shrugged, trying to seem casual about it, though she was anything but indifferent.

"Yes, I suppose so. I'm glad I got a job at a music store if anything, at least. I wouldn't be able to handle working at say... Breadsticks, or the movie theater, could you?"

"Oh, definitely not. Too messy," Quinn laughed, and Rachel joined in. It quickly died out, however, leaving an awkward silence between the two girls that was quickly broken by Mercedes climbing into the car.

"Hey guys," she said happily, smiling her usual sassy smile. Rachel grinned back politely, feeling a little relieved when Mercedes nodded at her. At least she was acknowledging her existence, unlike another person in the car. Mercedes got into the last row of seats, right behind Rachel.

"So, y'all excited to get workin'? I can't believe they had jobs for all of us!" she exclaimed, still grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"Soundwaves is the size of a football field, and it has two stories. I would be surprised if they rejected anyone's application," Kurt chuckled, grinning at his best friend.

"It is pretty huge..." Finn's brow furrowed. "I hope I don't get lost..."

The entire car chuckled at Finn's legitamite concern, and as the laughter finally subsided, Kurt stopped in front of Tina's house, smiling at the goth girl as she stepped into the car, plopping down next to Mercedes in the back row. She smiled shyly at everyone, but didn't say a word; she instead contented herself in whipping out her phone and texting her boyfriend, Artie. Soon, they were pulling into the Soundwaves parking lot, ready for their first day of work. They all fought to get out of the car, practically racing inside the store.

"Rach, slow down," Finn whispered, grabbing her hand and halting her mad pace. Rachel stopped and turned to face Finn, tilting her head to the side when she noticed a concerned look on his face. He took a deep breath and glanced over her shoulder, though he cupped her cheek to keep her from turning her head.

"What is it, Finn?" she asked, gently placing her hand over his. He frowned slightly, glancing over her shoulder once more.

"I'm glad I noticed before you, so you could get a warning and stuff, cause I know how proud you are..." he paused and thought hard, which looked difficult for him. "_He's _in there. And he's wearing a worker's apron."

Rachel gasped and placed a hand on her chest, wincing at the way her heart panged at hearing his name. She morphed her expression into a cool mask and turned to stare through the glass doors, and sure enough, there he was.

Jesse St. James sat on the other side of the glass door, staring at Rachel and looking as though he had seen the ghost of Freddie Mercury. Her stomach clenched and her throat closed up as she tried her best to remain calm. Rachel swallowed hard before turning back to Finn and putting on her best showface.

"Thank you for the warning, Finn, I appreciate it. Let's go in, shall we? We don't want to be late on our first day of work!" Her voice was cheery, but there was a tone of sadness that could be heard. She gave Finn's hand a squeeze and pulled him into the store after her. She marched right past Jesse and over to the man she assumed was in charge; he was wearing a blue apron and holding a clipboard.

"Hello, I'm Rachel Berry and this is Finn Hudson, reporting for duty!" she said brightly to the man. He raised his eyebrows at her, obviously surprised by her shining personality. He shook it off and smiled down at her before checking his clipboard. His name tag, labeled 'Don', revealed he was the assistant manager.

"Let's see... Well, Finn Hudson, you're assigned to register five, next to Kurt Hummel... And Rachel Berry... you are..." Don flipped to the next page. "Ah, you will be on the second floor, very back, working on instrument sales with..." He flipped the page again. "Jesse St. James. He's the one right there." Don pointed at Jesse and smiled proudly. "This is his second day, he can show you where to go."

"I don't think that pairing me with him is the best idea!" Rachel realized this man probably didn't care that she disliked Jesse, so she quickly thought of a good excuse as to why she should work somewhere else. "I mean, I know almost nothing about instruments! Maybe you should place me near the CDs? I have an extensive knowledge of a variety of music styles, and it would be much more strategic to place me there."

"I would," Don said slowly, "but I can't. The manager approved this list, so therefore it's law. Maybe you can take this opportunity to learn more about instruments." He looked over at Jesse, catching his eye and gesturing him over to where they were standing. Jesse smiled and jogged over, giving Rachel a very intense look before facing Don.

"Yeah, Donny?" he asked, a small smile on his face. Rachel had to fight from rolling her eyes.

"I need you to take Miss Rachel Berry up to the instrument department, show her the ropes. You two will be working together today."

Rachel watched as Jesse's smile widened so much it looked painful. He turned to Rachel, extending his arm in a very gentlemanly gesture. Rachel ignored it, turning to Don pleadingly.

"I really think I should work somewhere else, where my knowledge of music would be more at use-"

"Sorry, Rachel, but as I told you before, the list is law. You can bring it up with the manager when he arrives later, but for now, please follow Jesse to the second floor."

Rachel sighed and reluctantly turned to Jesse, frowning at how un-affected he was by her obvious glare.

"Come on, Rach, let's get to work!"

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**NOW my work begins! ... click next chapter to find out!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

**So this is the story which I have adopted from The Heartless Harlot. I included a little bit from the last chapter, to help blend in the last chapter with this one, but you may want to read the first chapter. **

**If you go onto her account it is listed there under the title "The Power Of Music."**

**My other story My Reality is Nothing compares to you, is taking much more of my time. This will be a 4 chapters story or 5 chapters at the most. I am working on alot of stuff all at once so it might take a bit to update, but I promise i will get an update up. **

**This is just "connecting chapter" if you will. It is connecting the Heartless Harlot's chapter with what will happen next. There are some nice St. Berry moments, and some Finn bashing... sorrrry if you are a fan of him. BUT i didn't really take him out of characters, because he did technically leave her in the middle of a parking lot alone.**

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The Work Place

The day was going great for Rachel. She had been looking forward to her first day at Soundwaves. Rachel imaged herself using the immense knowledge of music that she had acquired over the years to assist the many customers that came. Rachel pictured her lunch breaks spent with Finn and her friends, sharing stories of unruly customers over, but fate, it seems, had a different plan. Jesse St James, the man who singlehandedly ruined her life with a single egg just happened to be a key holder at Soundwaves.

_A Key Holder,_ she thought as a wave of nausea hit her. That meant that not only would she have to spend her time working with him, but he was her _superior_. She dreaded the rest of her working hours that day, wanting nothing more than to storm out. The only images that crossed her mind now were of broken eggs and broken hearts.

Her jaw nearly dropped when she saw him bound around the corner after the assistant manager called him. Rachel assumed that Jesse would no doubtingly use his position to his advantage, limiting her hours and potentially compromising her job. A job she needed for both money and experience for college. She was so wrapped up her thoughts that she barely heard her manager explain her duties that day. She just stared at the curly haired boy, watching as what seemed to be remorse wash over his expression.

"I need you to take Miss Rachel Berry up to the instrument department, show her the ropes. You two will be working together today." At those words Rachel's attention snapped back to Don, before glancing back to Jesse. She watched as his smile widened to the point of looking painful. He turned to Rachel, extending his arm gallantly, his smug attitude reemerging to the forefront. What could only be defined as guilt still lingered slightly, but Rachel ignored it.

"I really think I should work somewhere else, where my knowledge of music would be more at use—" She spoke quickly as she turned back to Don, hoping the rate at which her words flew out would confuse him into submission. It was a tactic she used often to get what she rightful deserved.

"Sorry, Rachel, but as I told you before, the list is law." She tried to interject once more, but silenced herself after remembering that she was speaking to a superior. "You can bring it up with the manager when he arrives later next week, but for now, please follow Jesse to the second floor." Rachel sighed and reluctantly turned to Jesse, frowning at how unaffected he was by her obvious glare.

"Come on, Rach, let's get to work!" His voice dripped with excitement, which Rachel assumed was for their boss, and he once again extended his arm to her. She looked at it as if it was infected with an incurable contagious disease and brushed past him towards the stairs. Jesse hurried after her, grabbing her hand quickly and pulling her towards the elevator.

"We have stock to put away," he said motioning towards the two carts full of boxes. "You grab one, I'll get the other." She nodded and the two made their way up to the second floor in an awkward silence. Rachel not once glancing at Jesse who was staring at her in awe, and once at their destination, the atmosphere did not improve in the slightest.

Jesse quickly put the stock away with Rachel's assistance, taking his time in explaining what tasks had to be done by close. His directions were clear and concise, and although Rachel retained the information, she was hardly listening. The entire walk through the section, she never allowed herself to look at Jesse, as it was in the elevator. Her answers were, if not a nod, one word long. She attempted to avoid him, hoping to have as little contact with the boy as possible, which seemed highly unlikely.

Her mind still could not wrap around the fact that Jesse was here, working at _her_ dream job. Rachel cursed fate, but then assumed that the reason for his presence there was for the same as hers: to get as much experience in the arts for college, along with the money. It made sense, like all her plans, but for the life of her Rachel could not comprehend the chances of him being at _her_ place of business.

_The world is against me_ she thought as she followed Jesse down the aisle of sheet music. Rachel could not stop herself from blaming something. The only man to break her completely being her boss was so unrealistic, that she could only assume God was playing some sort of sick joke on her. And it was not the least bit funny.

"The music equipment is expensive, so make sure that you help each customer who wants to look at it. They need to ask to use a product, obviously." Jesse's voice sang into her thoughts, distracting her from the floor and onto the grand piano in the middle of the aisle.

"Obviously," She responded, still sticking to her plan, not giving him any real answer, but at her sarcasm Jesse stopped mid-step. She was staring at the floor as she kept up behind him, causing her to bump into him slightly. Jesse wiped around to face her, forcing her chin up to look at him and not the floor. Rachel hesitated for a moment before her eyes locked with his, the anticipation of what he was about to do sent a feared chill down her spine. Last time she looked him dead in the eye he cracked her heart in two, and she would never admit it, but he was the only one who could put it back together.

"Look, I know you hate me, but can we at least clear the air so working together isn't so fucking tense." Rachel glared at him, not even correcting his use of profanity in the workplace. She watched him as his shouldered stiffened and his weight shifted in discomfort.

"No." Jesse ran a hand through his hair nervously, before speaking again in a much softer tone.

"Can we at least be professional about this then?" She nearly slapped him as he spoke.

"How dare you." She raised her voice slightly, poking him in the chest with her finger. "I am always professional, Jesse." Her rant was hushed, not wanting to draw attention to the two of them. The last thing she wanted was for the customers to see the employees having a dispute in the middle of the store. "I have to prepare myself for when I will be working with arrogant, conceded assholes, like you, on stage all day. So, maybe you are the one that needs to learn to be more professional."

Jesse nodded at her, before Rachel stormed off to begin her task, knowing that there was still stock to put away. She needed to get away from Jesse; the last thing she wanted was to hear him justify his actions. He stomped all over her love. He put out her flame with the toe of his shoe, much like putting out cigarette, but when the tears started to form in her eyes, she knew the embers would never be extinguished. She wiped her eyes, and glanced back at Jesse as she heard him whisper under his breath.

"Yeah, that was real professional alright." Jesse rolled his eyes as she flipped her hair and turned focused on the cart, but he could not stop the small smile that crossed his lips. She could see him smiling across down the aisle, and Rachel had no idea why her lips mimicked his.

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As the days past, the routine remained the same. Each day before her shift, Rachel would approach Don and ask when Tyler, the manager, would be back from vacation. She would always receive the same answer, _"I am not too sure Rachel. Definitely soon though." _ The remainder of the day would be spent in the musical instruments section, working with Jesse.

Rachel was surprised at how easy it was to work with Jesse. After he had showed her all the procedures, and stock locations, working together became a breeze. Around customers the two were very professional, and even friendly, but it was the time away from the consumers' eyes that was a little more difficult. Alone stocking aisles, they remained silent, and if they did speak it was some sort of a hushed argument. While in the break room, they sat on opposite sides of the room, avoiding eye contact and conversation. Their routine was fairly simple, until one day, Tuesday to be exact; Rachel, Finn and Jesse had to close the store altogether.

At one point during the shift, a customer asked Rachel to help him with the violins. Of course Rachel was courteous and respectful as she assisted the customer with all his questions and concerns. Her friendly attitude and helpful advice led the man to purchase the very expensive instrument, along with a hard carrying case and a box of sheet music. Rachel was ecstatic to make such a good sale. She was beaming at the thought of the commission she made on it. As the customer made his way to the counter, waiting for Rachel to bring the violin, Rachel grabbed the step ladder and attempted to reach the violin case at the top shelf.

Now Rachel was always very proud of her height. It was something that, while many believe may have hindered her chances in acting, differed her from all the other actresses that would be auditioning. It was something that would make her stand out amongst the many tall blondes in the waiting room, but unfortunately that little aspect of her figure, led her to slip off the step stool while reaching for the case.

Jesse was close by at the time. He raced over, and managed to catch her just in time, wrapping his arms around her waist quickly. The instant Rachel felt his heat around her, she felt at home. A security blanketed her, but as suddenly as it came, it was gone. He easily set her down on her feet and pulled away.

Rachel was still shaken, trying to catch her breath and prevent a blush from creeping on her cheeks, as she watched Jesse silently step up on the tiny ladder and retrieve the case for her. When he presented it with a smile, she reciprocated the action, still unable to speak. He gave her a small nod, understanding her unspoken gratitude and placed the case on the ground gingerly.

As he turned his attention to fold the ladder, Rachel placed a hand on his arm, and Jesse froze instantly. Their eyes met slowly; their locked gaze speaking a million silent words. It was Rachel's turn to nod, and she grabbed the ladder before he could move again.

"Would you mind bringing that to cash five?" She asked timidly, but Jesse was still frozen, regaining himself from her touch and the emotion he saw. "I am still a little shaken, and I just need a moment to get over it if that's ok?"

"Yeah, no problem." He said softly, before picking up the case, "Take all the time you need." He added before making his way down the aisle.

"Jesse," She called out, and he stopped turning to her with questioning eyes. She hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to tell him what she really wanted. _Thank you. I miss you. I forgive you._ Her mind screamed out, but her brain finally decided to filter her words. "Brown hair, green eyes, freckles, with a gray sweatshirt, and buying a violin. You can't miss him."

"Thanks," He nodded before turning around again, "Nice sale by the way." He called from over his shoulder, and Rachel was left alone in her thoughts.

The truth was she forgave Jesse a long time ago, but she had only realized it the moment his arms embraced her. This week working with him was so easy and simple because of so much more than the professional attitude. Rachel Berry and Jesse St. James just had a bond that allowed their bodies, minds, voices and hearts to flow in perfect harmony, in any task. This week working with him had restored a happiness which was missing since the "egging." Whether or not she was ready to speak her feelings however, that was a completely different story.

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The rest of the shift was uneventful. Rachel spent her fifteen minute break in the backroom with Finn, talking about the customers who had the most ridiculous questions. Her break seemed to draw out. She just wanted to get back onto the floor and when she did the time flew by much faster than she expected.

Before Rachel knew it, all the employees were suddenly leaving, making their way out the door and to their cars. Finn had linked his hand with Rachel's, slowly pulling her down the row of cash registers towards the door when she looked back to see Jesse. He was sitting counting the tills in the office, and Rachel continued to watch him through the office window.

"Finn wait," She said and stopped in the middle of the store, glancing at Jesse again briefly. "We have to follow protocol," she added and was about to recite the rule about employees leaving the store alone at night, but when Rachel saw Jesse fumbled with safe, she released her hand from Finn's. "I'll be back ok?" Before Finn could respond, Rachel walked through the office door and tapped Jesse on the shoulder, leaving him alone to watch her through the glass.

"Hey Jess?" She called him by his nickname, and he smiled softly as he finally managed to close the safe door. "I just wanted to say thank you, y'know for helping me today. I could have really hurt myself." Rachel spoke sheepishly, as she kicked at the ground gently.

"You were only two steps up Rachel, I hardly think you would have died." His chuckle made her smile and he stood up in front of her. A smile dazzled his face and her heart melted, "No problem, I would never let you get hurt." His voice whispered, sending a shiver down her back. Rachel had forgotten how each little feeling was heightened around Jesse. They stood in a comfortable silence for a moment, before Jesse's eyes glanced behind Rachel across the store to a silently fuming Finn. "It's late though and still got a lot to do in here, so I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You're working the close?" Rachel asked and Jesse nodded. "Then I'll see you in instruments sucker." A wicked grin spread across her face and Jesse raised a questioning eyebrow at her, "With the commission I made on that violin tonight alone, I beat your weekly sales goal. Thought you would have realized that Jess." And Jesse's laughter was louder this time, drifting through the air and echoing off the walls of the empty store.

His eyes shown in the soft light of the office as they gazed down into hers and Rachel made her decision. She needed to feel his embrace again. Taking a step closer to him, she nuzzled her face into his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist, breathing in his cologne. Instantly his arms encircled her, his chin resting on her head, breathing in her scent.

"Bye Jess, see you tomorrow." She whispered as she pulled back and returned to Finn. It was that little hug that caused Finn to mutter a curse as she approached. "Finn?" Rachel asked as she saw him turn away from her.

"You shouldn't be talking to him at all after what he did." He snapped and Rachel's faltered slightly.

"This is my job Finn. I work with Jesse." She stated simply enough for him to understand. "What do you want me to do, yell at him in the middle of the store, not answer his question when he asks for a barcode number? I need the money and experience for Julliard; I don't need to get fired before of unprofessional behaviour." He scoffed at her response.

"Then what the hell was that?" He gestured to the office.

"Oh my God Finn, I hugged him, big deal." She rolled her eyes, and he just pressed the issue by repeating his question. "I slipped today on the step ladder, and Jesse managed to catch me before I hit the floor with a bunch of stock fall on top of me, ok? I went to thank him because I was too shaken to speak after I fell." Her voice was cold and full of her evident annoyance, completely bewildered by his sudden acts of jealousy. She was even more shocked when he stalked away from her like a toddler and out the door towards his truck. She followed him helplessly out into the parking lot.

"I can't talk to you right now, I am leaving." He called out the open window as he turned the engine on and pulled out of the parking lot faster than she was able to run to him.

"Wait," Rachel called out, but it was no use. Finn had already left her, alone in the middle of the night, in an empty parking lot. "How am I going to get home?" she muttered under her breath as the tears started to flow freely from her cheeks.

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Jesse expected this kind of reaction from Finn Hudson. Finn was always very possessive over Rachel. _Possessive and Premature, and not to mention stupid._ Jesse expected him to argue with her over his conversation with Rachel, just because it was friendly. What he did not expect to see was Rachel sitting on the curb, crying as she clutched her cell phone, silently debating whether or not to call her fathers for a ride. The realization that Finn left the young girl alone in the middle of the night hit Jesse the instant he saw her in front of Soundwaves.

He had just locked up, and was about to make his way to the car when he saw her. Her eyes were fixated on the phone she was holding, not glancing up at him once, despite Jesse's less than stealthy approach. He silently settled next to Rachel on the curb, taking off his jacket and throwing it over her shoulders. It was a cool summer night, and he could see her shaking from both the wind and silent tears.

"Rachel?" He whispered brushing away a tear that rolled down her cheek with his thumb.

"Oh this is just great." She muttered, and pulled Jesse's jacket tighter around her body.

"Shouldn't you be home now?" He asked softly, and received no answer from Rachel. "Hey Rach, why are you so upset? What happened?"

"Just leave me alone Jesse," She snapped, and Jesse suspicions were confirmed instantly. He was the reason Finn left Rachel. "I have more important matters to attend to, like getting a hold of someone who would give me a ride."

"Isn't Finn driving you?" He opted for playing dumb, knowing full well that Rachel did not want him bad mouthing her current boyfriend. Plus, Jesse did not act much better when he had his shot with her.

"Do you see him around!" She yelled and threw a small pebble off the ground across the lot.

"Come on, I'll give you a lift." He said as he rose from his seat and offered his hand for her to take.

"No, I am perfectly fine on my own." And Jesse could not help the small chuckle that escaped his lips. Rachel was always so stubborn.

"Rachel, it's late," He sighed when Rachel refused to move or speak. "And my guess is your parents aren't home tonight again, so let me get you home safe, please?" She said nothing again. "Fine, I will wait with you until your ride shows up then." Jesse said and took his seat once more.

He fixated his attention on his car which sat across the lot, hoping that she would say something, anything. When he heard a choked sob, Jesse turned to look at Rachel. She had raised a hand to her mouth in an attempt to silence herself as she finally broke down fully. Instinctively he wrapped his arm around her drawing her close to him as she cried. They must have sat there for a half hour before she managed to say anything coherent.

"I don't have a ride," she finally sputtered out against his chest, in between her sobs.

"I know," He whispered softly, as he rubbed his hand up and down Rachel's back, trying to settle her down. "Come on Rach; please let me take you home." She nodded against Jesse's chest, and he let out a sigh of relief. If he could not stop this hurt, he could at least get her home safe and sound.

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**Well I hope you liked it! Please review, i love to hear feed back. I will try to get the next chapter up soon!**

**-D. Kenedy  
**


	3. The Good, the Bad, and the Idiot

**Sorry this took so long to get up. I have been so preoccupied with school, work and family, that i have neglected my writing. I have been updating 'My Reality' more than this because I wasn't updating that one for a while, and focusing on Power of Music, now I am doing the same to power of music. It is so hard to multitask ideas and stories. I will try to finish this story soon though. Promise! anyway on with the story**

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Chapter 3 – The Good, the Bad, and the Idiot

* * *

The drive to the Berry residence was nerve-rackingly silent. Despite the immense progress Jesse and Rachel made earlier that day, the air encircling them was nowhere near breathable and as Jesse glanced across the car again, taking in the woman next to him, the silence suddenly suffocated the surroundings. He parked the car on the side of the road, about a block from her house, but Rachel's glaze did not falter from the window, her small form still shaking ever so slightly with quiet sobs.

"Mind telling me what happened?" His voice was first to break the stillness, hoping for some sort of verbal response, but Rachel only shook her head. "Rach, did Finn leave you out there?" He pressed on, placing a comforting hand upon hers. Another sob escaped her before she gently nodded. "You guys fought about something serious." He stated rather than asked, but Rachel nodded again anyway, her forehead rubbing against the cool glass.

Jesse's thumb rubbed in soothing circled on her soft skin, sending an electric tingle through them both. Jesse hoped the undercurrent would be enough to get her focus, but just Rachel's eyes remained trained on the outside world beyond the car. "He still should not have left you there alone."

"Would you please just stop taking about this?" Without warning, Rachel's voice cut through the air like a blade being drawn out from its sheaf, and Jesse's hand immediately retracted from hers, "I know you are probably getting some sort of sick satisfaction out of this, so please just stop." Those were the words that caused his breath hitch. Jesse knew this moment was coming. The conversation, which has been hanging over them since the day he left her heart broken, was finally here, and there was no way either of them could stop it now.

"I would never get satisfaction out of your pain, Rach." Rachel was silent, and Jesse thought for a brief moment that she had not heard the words he whispered, but when she finally glanced to him, he knew she had. The looming question, the one he knew was on her mind since that fateful day, blazed in her eyes, burning a fear through him. A fear that he never experienced before that instant.

Jesse had been so scared of his emotions when he left, that he ran from her, pushing her and the uncertainty she brought as far away as possible. The fear that he experienced now was ten times stronger than the one he felt before, and he knew now that he could never get rid of the feelings he had for her. The air was thickening, and he had the urge to run again but he willed the courage to stay and fight for the one thing he knew was right.

A soft tapping on the transmission stopped him though. He knew Rachel was not going to ask him to speak, so he started the engine and continued down the street towards her house, giving into her request; deafening silence. Finally when the car was parked in her drive way, relief washed over him.

He got her home safe, that was his mission and he completed it. Jesse knew now that she would not let him in again, but the more important matter was her safety, and here they were in front of her house, safe and sound. He expected her to run out of the car the moment they arrived, but the engine died and still she sat comfortably, fiddling with the hem of her skirt as she stared into her lap. Not that he was complaining, the longer her spent with her, the longer he felt alive and real again.

"Why?" Her voice was soft and uncertain, as if treading through a minefield. He sucked in a breath, knowing that this was it, the moment of courage he was building up for before. The very moment he never thought he would get was here now, again. So soon, so sudden. _Leave it to Rachel to throw me off before hanging me, _he thought as he sucked in a breath to steady himself.

"I knew we would talk eventually."

* * *

"Jesse, I deserve to know." Rachel whispered again, her eyes never wavering from her lap.

"I ran," he sighed as her head snapped up to met his, guilt spreading on his face that she did not understand. "I know you were expecting the 'I needed to win nationals so I left' speech or the 'I saw how in love with Finn you were' jealousy speech, and those are factors as well, but mainly I ran." He combed a hand nervously through his curls as her brows furrowed, and the confusion blanketed her mind. Jesse knew her so well, he knew she would think of all the reasons he may have left, but this, was just the curveball she was not prepared for.

"Ran from what?" Frustration laced her voice as she attempted to connect the dots.

"You," Jesse admitted softly, and it felt like a knife through her heart once more. Rachel immediately stormed out of the car, needing to get away from him and the hurt he always brought with him. Her steps hesitated slightly when she heard him curse a 'damn it' before racing out to meet her. She was just about to step onto the porch when he stepped in front of her, blocking the stairs.

"What!" She yelled, trying to move past him, but he stood his ground, gripping her shoulders to steady her focus. The feeling of his fingers on her was almost too much to control. Everything she felt for him always came rushing back when he touched her, but the grip he had on her now, as if she was his life line, almost made her faint with emotion.

"I would never run because you were strange, or unfit in anyway." His hands moved up to cup her face; his warmth against her skin sent shivers down her spine, "I ran because you made me feel alive and real for the first time in my entire life. I ran because you were the one person who I was willing to give up everything for, my equal in every way. I ran because I was scared of feeling anything, especially love."

Tears rolled down her cheeks as he spoke, and gently he wiped them away with the pads of his thumbs. Her hands came up to wrap around his wrists, feeling the heat beneath her finger tips, and she leaned her cheek into his touch, savoring the feel of his affection. "I felt that if I hurt you enough, you would forget about me, and I could cure these feelings I was having. Rachel believe me when I say, the second I hurt you, I killed myself in a way I would never be able to cure. Hurting you is my one greatest regret."

"I-I" She began, her words fumbling in her mind, but when Jesse frowned, and began dropping his hands she finally spoke. "I forgive you." A moment went by before smile broke out onto his face, and instinctively Jesse's arms wrapped around Rachel, lifting her up, and spinning her around gently. "Jesse," She said in between bits of their laughter. Gently he placed her down on the ground, but not breaking the embrace.

"Rachel." He whispered as her head nestled under his chin.

"I'm still with Finn," Jesse's eyes darken slightly at her words, but nodded against her hair. "I forgive you, but you need to know that all we can be is friends." Again he nodded, before giving her a soft kiss on the cheek.

"I understand, I have no right to even have your forgiveness, let alone a second chance," Giving her another quick hug, he said goodnight and watched as she walked in the house. A smile dazzled Rachel's face as she leaned against the door, her skin still tingling with the touch he burned into her skin.

"Yet," She whispered to the air, before climbing the stairs and going to bed.

* * *

Working at together after that night was a lot different than before. The environment was much more pleasant. The rest of the week, Jesse and Rachel worked the same shifts every day, spending their breaks together laughing about Broadway mess ups, and analyzing brilliant performances but only once did they talk about Finn. Rachel told Jesse that Finn had apologized for over reacting, and that the two were going strong despite Rachel spending all her time at work.

Finn only worked two shifts a week, while Rachel and Jesse, along with Noah and Santana all worked full time hours. The four of them often sat in the break room together, laughing and having a great time. Noah and Santana both became close with Jesse during his time at McKinley and that closeness transferred to Soundwaves. Santana and Rachel also became closer, much to everyone's surprise. They were almost friends as they worked together on the floor and spent time together after work.

The opening shift routine for the foursome was simple. Jesse and Rachel would start their break when the shift change up happened, so that they could spend their break with Noah and Santana who were already in the backroom doing stock. Jesse and Rachel were waiting for Noah and Santana to finish stock at their normal table when the change up occurred, and the 'closers' came in. That day Finn was one of the closers.

Jesse and Rachel were in a deep conversation about the Rent when Finn walked towards the table. Rachel hardly noticed the teen standing next to the two of them as she bantered with Jesse, and the confusion that once encompassed Finn, now turned into anger.

"What're you doing?" He demanded, giving Jesse his best death stare.

"Finn!" Rachel jumped up to placed a kiss on his cheek. "I am just on break. I should be back out there in ten minutes or so. Jesse and I are working a double today, so we get a longer break."

"No, Rachel." His voice was stoic as he spoke and pulled away from his girlfriend slightly, before she took her seat at the table again. "What are you going with him?"

"We were just discussing the differences between Idina Menzel's performance in the movie Rent, and her performance in Wicked." The cheeriness to Rachel had not dissipated as she smiled over at Jesse. Finn's hand balled into a fist around his backpack strap, the anger getting the best of him. He looked over to Noah and Santana as they placed the last box of stock on the top shelf, trying to get their take on the situation before him. Finn was so wrapped up in the lack of shock in his friends' he hardly noticed that Jesse and Rachel were in deep conversation again until he heard the sound of harmonized laughter fill the air.

"I still stand by my statement, Idina truly tapped Mauren better than anyone else I have ever seen." Jesse's smug voice was met with a gasp, "I am not trying to belittle her performance in Wicked Rach, she is incredible in that too, but her Rent is in my opinion, better." Finn snapped his eyes on Jesse as he said Rachel's name, but before he could say anything, Rachel immediately began talking.

"I cannot believe you are betraying the stage Jesse. What happened to you?" The surprise which filled her features seeped into her voice.

"She flawlessly captured Mauren's flirtatious manor and compassion for humanity, how can you not see it." Finn watched as Jesse and Rachel spoke with a happiness that sparkled in their eyes. Noah and Santana came to join them at the table, not batting an eye to the friendly nature of Rachel and her ex, but instead joining with their own points.

"J, Rent is the one with the totally hot lesbian couple right?" Noah asked with a wink to Rachel, as he grabbed a grape out of her salad and popped it into his mouth. Santana smiled at Rachel and rolled her eyes. _Since when are Santana and Rachel close? _Finn thought as he continued to stare at the four seemingly friends.

"Oh I see it now Jesse. You are such a man," Rachel laughed, the sarcasm dripping off her tongue, "You like the girl on girl action in the movie, and it is clouding your critique." This was all the banter Finn could take. He was starting to see red. Never has Rachel referred to him as a 'man.' She always called him a boy, a guy, a footballer, but never has she called him a man like she did to Jesse.

* * *

"What the fuck," Finn cursed out the first words that came to his mind, officially silencing the group. There was a long pause before anyone spoke, too confused and unsure of how this person was going to fit into the dynamic. Noah knew a bit about Broadway from his mother, and Rachel. Santana had brushed up on some plays with Rachel who was helping her get a solo in glee, while Jesse and Rachel both lived and breathed Broadway.

"Finn?" Rachel finally asked, unsure of what emotions lingered under Finn's skin.

"I can't believe you, how are you going this?" His voice started to get frantic as he gestured to the table, "How are you acting as if nothing happened!" he finally yelled locking eyes with Jesse, who could not help the small smirk that graced his lips.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Finn's hands pulled at the straps on his bag before whipping it down on the ground, and Rachel could not take anymore. She could not for the life of her understand why Finn was acting like a little child. It was not as if she and Jesse were making out in the backroom. It was just a simple conversation, one that other people were engaged in as well.

"You and him." He hissed out from clenched teeth, his whole body subtly tremblingly with rage. "It's just sickening."

"Jesse and I are colleagues. We have to work together and after talking about it, we agreed that it doesn't have to be so awful. If I have to see him, why should I suffer?" Noah, Santana and Jesse watched on as Rachel attempted to show Finn reason. Santana glanced at Rachel, giving her a comforting smile, while Noah gave Jesse a hidden fist bump under the table. Noah would never admit it to Rachel, but he was rooting for Jesse; he hated Finn just as much as Jesse did, especially the way he treated Rachel.

"I can't handle this now, I gotta start my shift. I'll talk to you tomorrow." With that Finn turned around grabbing his smock off the chair. He was about to leave the break room when Jesse finally snapped. He watched Rachel's face fall, understanding that Finn was her ride yet again, and tomorrow meant another stranded night.

"What Finn? You're going to leave her here again tonight?" He growled low, and Finn froze mid-step before storming back to the table, slamming both of his palms on the plywood top. The lunch containers shook loudly, causing Rachel to flinch, but Jesse stayed perfectly still, unaffected by the giant before him.

"At least, I didn't dump her St. Jackass." Finn sneered.

"Finn, that's enough!" Rachel yelled but her powerful voice was of no use.

"Actually, you did." Jesse rose from his chair, mimicking Finn's stance, placing his arm in front of Rachel so ensure she could not get hurt if things turned violent.

"Jesse, please stop." She begged, and caught Jesse's eye for a brief moment, before Santana guided Rachel away.

"Not only did you dump her, you used her, to cheat on your then PREGNANT girlfriend." Jesse's smug voice glided out with ease once Rachel was safely behind Noah.

"It wasn't my kid!" Finn finally yelled out, his voice booming around them was sure to be heard in the store just outside the break room door.

"But, you thought it was yours, and it is not my of Rachel's fault that your ex is a slut." Jesse knew he was pushing Finn's buttons and he knew his words were the final button to press; the one that would cause ultimate destruction. Rachel gasped as she watched Finn visibly shake with the anger that bubbled within him.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that!" Finn hollered as he lunged for Jesse, swinging his arms wildly trying to land a punch, but Jesse managed to dodge each one. With one swift swing, Jesse's fist connected with Finn's nose, and then his chin. Finn was definitely not the boxer Jesse was, so he attempted to change the game. He growled, as he took Jesse down to the ground, pinning him to the floor, and punching him several times before Jesse had enough of this childish fight. Using Finn's body weight and momentum, Jesse rolled the two over, so Jesse once again had the upper hand. He landed three good punches in before he felt himself being tugged away by someone.

"I'll kill you if you talk about her again!" Finn shrieked as the manager, Travis, who finally arrived back from vacation, held him back.

"Shouldn't you be fighting over Rachel, Giant?" Jesse countered as Noah held him back causing the tears that lingered in Rachel's eyes to finally break free. He immediately stopped struggling with Noah and went over to Rachel, pulling her into a hug. He whispered a sorry into her hair as she nodded her understanding.

"Fuck you St. James!" Finn screamed again, causing the manager's patience to give.

"Enough!" Travis's stern tone roared and an eerie silence filled the room as everyone froze in position. Finn was seething, his shirt still grasped in Travis's hand. Santana, who stood next to Rachel, locked eyes with Noah, who was standing in front of the rest of the group to stop Finn if he broke free. Rachel was still scooped in Jesse's embrace, quietly crying while Jesse whispered his apologies again. With a sigh, the manager spoke, a regained patience invading his words. "St. James, Hudson, and Berry. My office, now."

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I DO NOT OWN GLEE OR THE CHARACTERS... if i did then Jesse and Rachel would be together, and the finale would not have been written that way. it was stupid and predictable, and would have been written better if they hadn't won, but Rachel still was independent and strong enough to live without finn. It was stupid. VERY VERY STUPID, it made ALL the episodes since the break up useless. What happened to Rachel choosing her dreams, and if she wasnt even going to end up with Jesse, because he is a guest star, she should have been alone. MAYBE even set up a great way for the jew power couple to take over instead of Finchel. ANYTHING instead of Finchel, please. It is so boring, and safe, and predictable. I want some real writing some actual plot that is believable! they should take a tip from Dawson's creek and have Rachel end up with Puck or Sam... like Joey did with Pacey. The Main Finchel relationship is just drama filled, stupid, uninteresting, and pointless plot development. Seriously, let's see some REAL romance already.**

**Author's Note:**

I worked really hard on this chapter, It took a while to get up, but if you have any comments let me know. I didn't add as much detail as i normally do because it is really long as it is, and i didn't want the chapters in this story to be as long as My Reality.

ANyway, PLEASE review, i would love to hear your feed back!

They get me to update faster!**  
**


	4. It's All Over Now

**Author's Note:**

Sorry this took SOO long. This story is still going to have a slow posting rate, although the last chapter and epilogue are coming up.**Please let me know if there are any mistakes, i kind of rushed through the edit a little to get this up. **I would love to hear your feed back and will go back and fix this chapter if there is input that fits with the story.

**Disclaimer:**

I do not know glee, if i did Finn and Rachel would not be existent now. I think the way the second season reused season one plot lines was absolutely stupid. I think that it could have been much better if the writer's focused on the story instead of the music. The music was amazing yes, but the plot could have been much better. It's only the second season and yet they have apparently run out of good plot lines that they have to reuse from the first season. That's bull shit in my opinion, the story could have been SO much better, there was another plot path that could have been taken, but everyone "Loves" finchel.. La Di Fucking Da. It is such a boring pairing, i would loved to see Rachel stick to her independance and not get glued to her crush on someone so much more beneath her. he treats her like shit for fuck's sake. ANYONE but finchel.. Puckleberry, Samchel, St Berry. HELL MAKE RACHEL AND SANTANA END UP TOGETHER FOR ALL I CARE as long as the plot isn't so safe and boring and already done.

**enough of my rant... sorry.  
**

* * *

**Power of Music**

It's All Over Now

* * *

It all happened so fast. One minute Finn and Jesse were having some sort of Mexican standoff in the break room and the next they were throwing punches and wrestling on the floor. It was one of the scariest moments in Rachel's life. She could hear the crunching of bone against flesh as fists connected with sensitive body tissue. The last thing she could do was watch, willing her mind to focus on her finger nails, hoping with all she had it would be over. It was when she heard a familiar pitch groan in pain that she glanced up from the canopy of wet lashes and she saw the most horrible sight.

Finn's fist connected with Jesse's face, his eyebrow splitting open, letting the blood flow over his eye. The tears were pouring down her face faster than expected as her stomach clenched into a thousand different knots. Sure, Jesse could hold his own in a fight. That was evident by the amount of injuries Finn was sporting on his face, but the blood. Jesse's blood. Coming down his face in abundance, it was too horrible to even comprehend.

Rachel shut her eyes tightly, praying for someone or something to stop the madness. She wanted to reign in Finn's uncontrollable anger, she wanted him to grow up out of this childish jealousy, and most importantly she wanted him to fight for her instead of Quinn. It was a heartbreaking reality that was overshadowed by Jesse's involvement.

As much as she wanted to think about how upset she was at Finn for defending Quinn's reputation, she could not focus on the overly tall teen. Obviously it lingered somewhere in her mind, but her main thought was Jesse. How the blood was dripping off his chin, how his fists were connecting with Finn's nose, how sore he would be afterward. And what if there was not an afterward? _Oh God, what if this is a fight to the death? _Her thoughts screamed.

Glancing over to Santana, Rachel silently pleaded with her friend to let her go. If she could get in between the fight maybe it would end, but the Latina tightened her grip on Rachel's wrist. The salty drops dripped off Rachel's chin, mimicking Jesse's blood trails, highlighting her desperation but with a shake of her head, Santana turned her attention back to the fight. Noah was already trying to break the fight up, without getting thrown into the tangle, but his efforts were proving futile. She watched as Noah dodged a punch after trying to grip onto Finn's arm and pull him back and realized her efforts would be as successful as Noah's. With the adrenaline pumping through Finn and Jesse, Rachel would just get hurt.

"Stop," She pleaded in a whisper, aware that her voice was no longer powerful. They had not listened to her when they were arguing verbally and her voice was firm and strong, why would they listen now when she was crying and they were beating each other to a bloody pulp. "Jesse, please stop." His fist hesitated for a moment, and she was sure he heard her, but Finn took advantage of the situation, landing a punch on Jesse's jaw. She gasped in horror, and remained silent, fearing another distraction would land Jesse in the hospital.

Just when she thought all hope was lost and this tussle would truly become a gladiator death match, a voice boomed around them. The loud rumble echoed off the walls and the fight was immediately controlled. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about Rachel's sobs.

She could hardly breathe she was so frightened. She vaguely heard the manager, Travis, asking for an explanation, or Finn's attempts of reinstating the fight. All she knew was that at this moment, Jesse was hurt and it was all her fault. The image of Finn, blindly throwing his arms around, attempting to hit Jesse was burned into her memory. The blood soaking through the cotton of Jesse's white shirt made her heart ache, and when she felt an unmistakable comfort wrap around her, she finally broke down.

"I'm sorry," she heard Jesse whisper to her. His words were hoarse and tired, but still had the soft timber which always soothed her. "I'm so sorry; I couldn't let him hurt you." His hand, rubbed up and down her back as she buried her face within his chest. She nodded, her cheek brushing against the blood soaked white cotton shirt. She knew her skin would be tinted red by the material, but could hardly care. All she was concerned about was how the hand which soothed her was as beat up as his face. How the reddened shirt was damp with his injuries. How she was the cause of his anguish. It made her bawl harder but Jesse continued to whisper, his words only loud enough for her to hear. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"St. James, Hudson, Berry!" Travis broke them out of their bubble, but Rachel refused to lift her head to meet the manager's gaze. Her body stiffened in Jesse's arms, her breath hiccuped as she sucked in a sharp intact of air. "My office, now."

* * *

Fired. The word was just so final, not even debatable. No severance pay, no potential reinstatement, absolutely nothing. Just fired. Rachel could not believe it. Sure she was the catalyst for Finn's jealousy, but the fight was all because of Finn and yet she and Jesse were penalized for it. She cleaned up her lunch containers from the backroom in silence, not bothering to look at either Finn or Jesse. She felt dejected, demoralized and most importantly guilty. Her plans and dreams were shattered into pieces now and Jesse's bloody face only reminded her of her part in the fight. Everything was just so bloody confusing.

As the three of them made their way out of the store, Rachel replayed the events in her mind. She remembered how angry and frightened she was when Finn started swinging his fists at Jesse like a madman. She remembered the security she felt in Jesse's arms as he soothed her worry. She remembered swallowing her nerves as the manager's shouts boomed throughout the room.

Jesse's hand rubbed circles on her lower back absently throughout the whole meeting, as tears still streaked down her cheeks and her body trembled. The fight went by so quickly, but Finn's words of anger still burned into her mind, and what made things worse was the one word she dreaded to hear: fired.

"_I can't have this kind of behaviour in my establishment. All of you leave." _Travis's words of discharge were quick and calm, but the chaos that ensued highlighted their importance. Finn sputtered angrily, attempting to place the blame on Jesse, while Jesse took the blame for his part in the brawl, outlining Rachel's lack of involvement. But Travis refused to listen. They were all dismissed, and as the cool fresh breeze cooled her damp face, Rachel lowered herself onto the curb to sulk.

Not only had she lost her job, but the realities of her boyfriend's affections were evident. Finn, instead of fighting for her honour, fought to defend the reputation of Quinn Fabray. The very women who cheated on him. The very woman who made Rachel's life a living hell. It was sickening and blatantly obvious who owned Finn's loyalty.

"Get in the fucking car Rachel," Finn shouted from across the lot, breaking through her thoughts, snapping her mind back to her surroundings. Finn sat in his pickup truck, still seething with rage as he turned the key in the ignition so hard it almost snapped under the pressure. Jesse had taken a seat next to Rachel on the curb waiting for her to speak to him, or even look at him. He was just as silent as Rachel as he swam through his musings, quietly shooting daggers to Finn's car.

Rachel remained quiet for a moment, immersing herself into her mental swim again. She absently reached for Jesse's hand, feeling the fresh cuts that ruined the flesh of his knuckles. Her fingers brushed around on his hand, hearing the nearly noiseless hiss as she went over a more sensitive part. She wanted to apologize, wanted to beg for his forgiveness, feeling completely responsible for all his injuries, but she could not.

Her words were still too weak; she had not even said anything during the meeting with Travis. A tear escaped and trailed down her cheek, taking the same path as the others, but Jesse's thumb swept it away before it got far. "I'm not waiting in this hell hole." Finn's voice vibrated through them, causing her to shiver at the anger for a moment.

"Can you please take me home?" She whispered; her previous tears present as she shakily spoke and Jesse nodded gently before helping her off the curb. "Just give me a moment to talk to Finn." At the mention of _his _name her tone grew firm with anger. She had to deal with him, she had to will the courage to deal with him and then she could deal with apologizing to Jesse. "I'll meet you at your car."

"If you need anything, I'll be right over there watching." He said with another nod before carrying her stuff over to his range rover. She watched him lean against the side of the car, his protective gaze on her as she slowly made her way over to the beat up pickup truck. Sucking in a breath, she tore her eyes off Jesse, feeling his security and focused on the very irate Finn.

She could see his fingers tapping impatiently on the steering wheel as he observed her path. His brows narrowed with fury as she stepped to the driver side car window instead of the passenger side, and he hissed a 'get in' under his breath.

"No," Rachel maintained her firm stance with a shake of her head. "Can you please step out so we can talk?" She asked more gently but Finn refused, his fists tightening on the wheel.

"You're pissed at me aren't you?" Her silence affirmed his conclusion. She glanced over to Jesse for support for a moment. He was still eying them carefully, to ensure her safety. "I did nothing wrong Rach so get in the fucking car already."

"You did nothing wrong?" She was obviously taken back as the shocked words dripped off her tongue like venom.

"Yea, I did nothing wrong," He defended, "You shouldn't be fucking talk to him—" He tried to continue but Rachel cut him off, completely disregarding his defence.

"I can talk to whomever I wish Finn."

"Come on," He yelled louder, "I can't believe you are doing this, get in the car." But Rachel just shook her head.

"We're done." She said softly.

"You're dumping me?" He asked quietly, and she nodded, so he asked again this time louder. "You're fucking dumping me!" And she nodded again. "This is a fucking load of crap Rachel and you know it. This isn't about me, it's about you and it's about him."

"What is that suppose to mean." Her voice vibrating with a power that mimicked Finn's, rising in volume as the anger bubbled in her belly.

"It obvious, you still love him."

"So what if I do!" Rachel had not realized they were shouting so loud, and if she had she probably with a blushed with embracement. Instead she was flushed red with anger.

"I can't believe you. You're dumping me for him?"

"You got me fired from a job I need Finn," This was it, Rachel had enough. She finally snapped; everything pouring out of her was flowing with such rapid fury that Finn could hardly keep up. "If you just kept your stupid jealousy in check none of that would have happened. I need this job for experience and money, and because of you my dreams are hindered. Don't you get that?"

"What I get, is you are dumping me for a guy who smashed eggs on your face."

"You egged me before too, or did you forget?" Rachel hissed the last words, before sucking in a deep calming breath. "Look," another mouthful of oxygen and her breathing was a little less rapid, "I don't want to fight."

"Neither do I baby," Finn attempted to sweet talk her, but his tone was not at all convincing, "Just get in the car."

"No, I thought that was clear."

"I can't believe you are acting like this Rachel, over an asshole." His sudden lapse into a sweet guy forgotten as he brought the fight back on full force. He was seething again, completely and utterly lost in the rage which surged through him, but Rachel was no longer scared. Not when she knew Jesse was watching over her.

"The fact of the matter is, in there you weren't fighting to regain my honour Finn," She started, jumping ahead to the real problem in their relationship. He may have had the brain capacity of a five year old, but he was definitely not a five year old. And there was no way in hell Rachel was going to let him get away with this one. "You were fighting to regain Quinn's reputation."

"Rachel," He said with a heavy weighted sigh, obviously fed up with the situation, "Why do you take everything so freaking seriously."

"And," She continued, not bothering to acknowledge his voice, "You don't trust me to have my own friends, or make my own decisions on who to forgive—"

"You forgive that jerk!" He interrupted with a shout that echoed through the air.

"Yes, and at this point in time, I don't see myself forgiving you Finn." They voices were matched in volume and rage, and although the fight was reaching a closing point, the rage was still burning like a wildfire.

"I can't fucking believe this."

"We have already discussed what you don't believe, so just _believe _this. You and I," She gestured between the two of them. "We are done." With that she stomped over to Jesse's Range Rover, completely missing the look of shock that blanketed Jesse's featured as she got into the passenger seat and placed her head in her hands. Jesse smiled smugly at Finn before getting into the car and pulling out of the parking lot, leaving his rival to stew in the heat of the summer afternoon.

* * *

**Please review!**


	5. To Forgive Is Divine

**Author's Note:  
**Ok, so this is the LONG AWAITED final chapter of power of music! Yay! I am so sorry it took so long to get this up. I didn't realize how long it had been until now. Last post was in September! wow... I apologize for that. The months just kind of snow balls in my writer's block, not just for this story, but all my others. I am really trying to finish them all. I just have two more to complete, and those two both have chapter guides with the way i want the story to go...\

Anyway, Im rambling. this has a little bit of, for lack of a better word, passion. I would not call it smut, because it's just a little making out. AND i don't want to get your hopeful fans all excited, but i may even include an epilogue for this story, but I am not entirely sure i will be able to accomplish that. i want to complete my other fics first. ANYWAY ENJOY!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own glee.

* * *

**The Power of Music**  
To Forgive is Divine

* * *

Much like the first time Jesse drove Rachel to the Berry residence, the car was filled with a heavy deafening silence. Rachel was still fuming; constantly replaying the events of her fight with Finn on the blank canvas of her closed lids. Her hands cradled her head calmly as the rage continued to cause slight tremors through her entire body. She swore her vision was tinted red as she watched Finn's face contort into a grotesque monster again and again. So blinded in her anger, Rachel completely missed the ironic emotional contrast sitting on the opposite side of the black Range Rover.

Jesse was blissfully happy. Sure, he just lost his summer job. His lip was cracked and caked with dried blood. The flesh on his knuckles was torn, while the attached fingers sported a red dripped pattern. One that matched perfectly with the left side of his face; the eyebrow above was split open and starting to swell, but the smile on his face was almost manic. Jesse could care less about the pain, or the bruises, or the lack of employment. He was ecstatic for one reason: Rachel Berry, the very woman next to him, stewing in an almost hulk like rage, just announced to a full parking lot that she loved him.

Okay, maybe she said it to her _now_ ex-boyfriend in a fit of rage, and not directly to him, but they say in the heat of anger the truth comes out. And that loud truth, however misdirected, was just thrown into the atmosphere. She loved him. Not Finn. Not Noah. Not anyone, except him. Jesse St James. He was almost glad that the car ride was in silence, because he needed to take some time to process this amazing news, and act a little less smug about it.

Glancing over at Rachel, he took note of the tear tracks, evident between the tint of crimson on her left cheek. His fists were clenched, the skin on her knuckles tight and white. The hair once tied up in a neat pony tail was now starting to come undone. Her eyes were burning a hole through the glass of his car's windshield. But she was gorgeous; absolutely, breathtakingly, beautifully enraged.

Her signature diva passion was causing a glow to circle her. Like a halo or a homing beacon. All he wanted was to pull over and kiss her just as passionately, but to honest he feared a slap right now. He did not want to cross her in this state, for fear of physical pain on his already damaged face. She was too far gone in her anger currently, she was border lining on explosive.

It was, however, not the reason he, wordlessly, let her guide him into the house looking like a bloody hooligan. Nor was it when he sat the instant she placed a stool down in her washroom. His vision consumed by her movements, watching intently as she gathered her first aid kit and a wash cloth before filling the sink with warm water. He can even say, that the reason he stifled the smile as he heard her mutter aggressive comments directed towards Finn, was not that she was frightening in this tantrum.

No, she instilled fear in him, but a fear of rejection. She may have admitted her feelings to his rival, but she was yet to fully come to terms with it. If she had, wouldn't she have said it to him? It was a question that raced through his thoughts, even with his blissful excitement over her confession.

Jesse figured he should handle it like a band-aid. Ripe it off; fast, and painless. The sooner he found out for sure, the sooner he could move forward. She had just finished wiping all the dried blood off and was placing a damped gauze pad on his eyebrow when the anticipation finally became too much to bear in silence.

* * *

"Do you really still love me?" Jesse's voice was strong, but beneath it, Rachel heard the wavering nerves. The realization finally dawned on her. She had said it out loud in the parking lot. Damn, she let her rage get the better of her. Again. And now Jesse knew her feelings for him. It was a slip that could completely destroy the foundation she wanted to rebuild. Something she wanted to keep hidden, from him especially. But before she could think much further, Rachel cleared her throat, finally getting her medicinal actions back into working order.

"You heard that?" She asked in response, avoiding the question as she secured the bandage on his eyebrow with medical tape.

"Kind of hard not to when you are shouting it," the infamous St James smirk was in place for that comment. _ More like shouted it to the heavens, _she thought as she replayed the event in question.

"Yeah, I guess you are right," Her shrug was her attempt at being nonchalant about the whole situation. So was bringing the damped cloth back up to attend to his lip. But Jesse seemed to be having none of that, as he grabbed a hold of her wrist.

"So, do you?" Dropped from his gaze, she began to study the blood splatter on his white shirt. Her courage and resolve was shaken as she pictured his potential rejection. This time without the eggs.

"Yeah," She said sheepishly, the heat rising to her cheeks. Jesse gripped her chin within his fingers, bringing her big doe eyes to meet blue ones, and she found her courage once more. "I do."

* * *

"Why?" This was the most important question Jesse had. He did not deserve her love, not in the slightest, of that he was sure. So why? God why did she settle for him? "After everything, I don't deserve it." He added, trying to get that point across to her. They sat in a silence for a few more instants, Jesse watching Rachel as she thought for a moment, waiting for the answer. The anticipation turning his stomach with both hope and dread.

"No," she hummed in contemplation, "No, you're right, you don't deserve it." Her tone was sharp and simple and his stomach dropped.

"Then why?" Jesse pressed, his heart silently screaming to know, but his head was trying to reel him back in. Patience, a virtue he never fully got the hang off, but he might get hurt after all. So he swallowed nervously, watching Rachel's eyes, locked with his, softened as a smile graced her lips.

"Because it's love," her answer was simple, just like before and he just leaned back a little in the stool. She could not possibly think that explanation enough. "I can't see my life without you Jesse." Her fingers came up to slightly stroke the skin of his cheek, the fearless confidence she was showing earlier starting to dissipate. But that was all he needed.

The instant the words left her lips, his crashed upon them, heavy with desire. She responded with zeal, sliding into his lap as the passion built between them, becoming a wildfire of emotions. He could taste his bitter iron blood mixing with her sweet strawberry lip gloss. But there was more, something uniquely Rachel, dosing his palate, drugging him into absolute submission.

His hands gripped her hips as they moved against him, the grinding friction too fluid to be anything less than natural. A moan escaped her lips as he took in her breath and gave her his. His tongue battled against hers, causing his head to dizzy with pleasure as her hips moved again. It was then he pulled back, his hands coming up to cup her cheeks.

"I love you Rachel Berry," his words were clear and absolute, although muffled by her lips.

"I love you too Jesse St James." Resting his forehead against hers, he took in the beaming smile that stretched across her lips, and how her milk chocolate orbs turned dark with lust. His hitched before leaning in for another heated kiss.

"I'm not letting you go this time," he groaned against her lips in between kisses as she eagerly built the passion.

"You better not."

* * *

**Well there you have it. The last chapter. Hope you like it, and thank you for all your kind words.  
**

**_Please review!_  
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